


Midnight Drives

by theoriginalicecreamqueen



Series: Diversity Week 2017 [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Pre-Series, Racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-13 03:12:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11750859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoriginalicecreamqueen/pseuds/theoriginalicecreamqueen
Summary: Joe is worried when Iris calls him for a ride from Becky Cooper's 16th birthday party hours before the sleepover ended. Barry, of course, goes along for the ride.





	Midnight Drives

Joe West knew that he was overprotective of his daughter. Iris was strong, independent, and was more than capable of taking care of herself. Still, Iris was also only fifteen, and no matter old she got, she would always be his baby girl. It was his right to worry.

 

That was especially true when his daughter called him after midnight demanding to be picked up right away from a sleepover. Iris had begged to allowed to Becky Cooper’s 16th birthday party, and the _only_ reason Joe had finally relented was that Becky was Barry’s girlfriend. The girl and her parents were already well acquainted with Joe’s rules, and he knew from background check he did when he found out she was dating Barry she didn’t drink, do drugs, and wore a purity ring.

 

Barry hadn’t been pleased when he found out about the background check, but Barry was his kid too. Joe didn’t care if he was upset about it or not. He was always going to do what’s best for his children. Barry had so much trouble after his parents died, and it was his responsibility to make sure the frailty that came from his trauma didn’t lead to him letting unsavory people in his life. Joe had seen it too much in other people to not watch for it in Barry.

 

“Joe, you could at least pretend to pay attention,” Barry whined, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket to pull him from his thoughts.

 

“I am listening,” Joe lied, only a little guilty. After all, there were only so many times a man could hear arguments for Bigfoot's existence, and Barry had maxed him out on that ages ago.

 

Unfortunately for Joe, Barry was too smart to fall for it. The kid was too smart for a lot of things. Barry rolled his eyes with the drama only a teenager could manage before he responded, “You were not. I told you that we passed the turn for Becky’s street two blocks ago. Is something wrong? You’ve been there before. Like this afternoon, for instance.”

 

“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” Joe responded, scruff Barry’s hair as he turned the car around. Barry’s squawking at his hair being messed up was enough to last them until they pulled up at the Cooper house, just as he hoped.

 

He and Barry both were surprised when they pulled up to the house, and Iris was waiting on the front porch. Joe wanted to run into that house and ask everyone in it what in the hell his daughter was doing alone outside after midnight, but he held himself back. There would be time to tear into the Cooper family later. Right now, Iris was running to his car as fast as her legs could carry her. She was even rustling the leather overnight bag she had spent several months of her tips on.

 

Iris threw the door open to the back seat and hurtled herself into the sedan. Joe was more than a little confused. She was already in her pajamas, and her hair was wrapped in her favorite, scarlet-colored silk scarf. Joe was positive it was the first time the scarf had been outdoors since she bought it. Iris hated to undress like this before it was time to go to bed. His daughter was firmly of the opinion that she should always look her best, no matter the circumstance. Finding her like that was making every parental alarm go off in his head.

 

“Baby girl, what’s wrong?”

 

“It’s nothing. Just drive, Dad. I want to sleep in my own bed,” Iris insisted angrily. Joe knew she wasn’t really mad at him, not this time. She was hurt. He recognized the tone in her voice all too well.

 

Barry, it seemed, noticed it too. He had barely pulled back out onto the road when Barry clambered out of his seat and into the back. Both he and Iris hollered at him as he climbed, but Barry didn’t slow down. The boy rarely did when he was sure what he was doing was right, and Iris had developed the same stubborn streak the longer Barry lived with them. Joe both loved and hated that about his kids.

 

“What the crap, Barry? Are you trying to completely squish me?” Iris exclaimed, giggling lightly as she was wrapped into what looked like a bone-crushing hug.

 

“Seriously kid, you know better than to switch seats when we’re moving. Now buckle back up,” Joe scolded. He wasn’t entirely successful at keeping the amusement out of his voice, but Barry looked down guiltily all the same.

 

“Sorry,” he mumbled quietly as he pulled away from Iris to pull his seatbelt closed.

 

“Now, onto the other kid,” Joe grumbled under his breath before speaking loud enough for his two hooligans in the back to hear him, “So, Iris, you gonna actually tell us why Barry and I are out here after midnight? Because I love you and all kid, but you aren’t getting off the hook on this one. We can wait to talk if you want, but we will be talking about this. I need to know how pissed off I need to be with the Coopers when I call them tomorrow.”

 

“Dad,” Iris protested with a groan. Joe felt a twinge in his chest at her upset tone, but he forced it down. This wasn’t about him right now. He would deal with his own feelings later.

 

“Iris,” he mimicked, using her tone exactly. It got a laugh from both kids, and an eye roll from Iris, so Joe didn’t mind how ridiculous he sounded.

 

“I… It doesn’t really matter. It’s over now,” Iris tried. This time, even sweet-tempered Barry had enough. He started to help Joe with one of the best weapons in his arsenal. Iris squealed loudly as Barry tickled her. Usually Joe would have interfered, but for now he let Barry continue his assault. Joe figured at this point it would only be helpful. When the laughter finally died out, Iris was leaning against Barry as they both breathed heavily.

 

Joe waited quietly at this point for Iris to catch her breath. If he knew his kids, which he definitely did, then Iris was about to crack. She was comfortable now, but he could tell from the look in her eyes that she hadn’t quite let things go. Her frown was gone, but her stiff posture wasn’t. Oh yeah, he thought to himself. Iris was going to crack.

 

“You’re really not going to let this go?” she asked.

 

“Of course he’s not. Have you met even met your dad?” snorted Barry. Joe joined his laughter while Iris pouted.

 

“The girls - they were making fun of my hair wrap. I know it’s stupid, but I just couldn’t take it anymore! I just got my hair done today, and you spent so much money to go to Cindy again this time. I’m sorry, Daddy. I should’ve just stayed,” Iris broke both her silence and into tears at the same time.

 

Joe felt his heart breaking right alongside his daughter. What the hell were those tiny little monsters thinking!? How dare they make _his_ little girl feel this way, especially for something like her hair! Joe opened his mouth to say something - anything - to make Iris feel better. He was going to say something that would let his daughter know that they didn’t know what they were talking about. He needed her to know that every part of her, her painstakingly styled hair included, was beautiful.

 

“Why would they do that? It’s just hair, and it looks beautiful, by the way. Didn’t Becky say something?” Barry asked, completely flabbergasted. Joe wasn’t surprised. The kid hadn’t ever seen Iris as anything less than completely perfect, and his own lily-white skin tone had protected him from the kind of teasing that Iris sometimes faced. He didn’t know how to explain that to Barry though, especially in front of Iris since Joe didn’t want to give up Barry’s crush. Luckily, Iris took care of some of that for him.

 

“Becky did. She’s the one who… she started it, Barr,” Iris admitted. Joe’s heart sunk. That was not good.

 

“She did what!” Barry yelled. Iris and Joe both flinched, but Barry was still too surprised at the revelation to notice. Joe wished he was more shocked at the knowledge since Becky had seemed like such a good kid from his background check, but there were some things even a check like his couldn’t find. Being a good person wasn’t the same thing as looking like one. As a cop and a black man, Joe was way too familiar with the concept.

 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t want to say. I know you like Becky a lot, and she’s always so nice to you. This doesn’t matter, okay?” Iris told Barry. It was completely unreasonable, and Joe was all prepared to tell her so. Once again, his kid beat him to a response. Joe would have been amused at their quick back and forth if it wasn’t for what they were talking about.

 

“That’s so stupid,” he responded. Joe snorted at Barry’s abruptness, but he was still being ignored, so Barry continued talking over him. “It so matters. You matter, Iris. You always do, but especially to me.”

 

“She’s your girlfriend though,” Iris reminded Barry.

 

“It doesn’t matter who I’m dating. You’re always going to be the most important woman in my life,” Barry swore fiercely, gripping her hands in his own and looking deeply into her eyes. Iris started to cry lightly, tucking her head into to Barry’s shoulder. “Besides, she’s definitely not my girlfriend anymore. No one who talks about you like that ever could be. Well, at least as soon as I can tell her that.”

 

Joe, finally sensing an opening for his parental wisdom now that they two of them has stopped their rapid-fire back and forth, spoke again. “You know, just this once, I don’t mind if you want to use your phone after ten.”

 

“Thanks, Joe!” Barry chirped gratefully, unwrapping one of his arms from around Iris to fish his cell phone from his pocket. Joe and Iris both went quiet so Barry could make the call, but he started typing away madly on his phone instead.

 

“You shouldn’t break up with people through text,” Joe reminded Barry. Barry, once again, rolled his eyes dramatically.

 

“Usually I’d say you’re right, but if I was going by those rules, then I also shouldn’t be breaking up with Becky on her birthday. I think, just this once, a text is going to have to do,” argued Barry, and well, while he maybe should have tried, he didn’t particularly want to find a flaw in Barry’s argument.

 

So Joe stayed silent and settled in for the rest of the drive. His attention stayed split though, partially on the road around him, and partially on his two teenagers in the back seat. They were chattering away again. Barry was distracting Iris the best way he knew how, with the same Bigfoot stories Joe was ignoring earlier.

 

He made sure that the two of them didn’t see him smirking in the mirror. This night may have been an awful experience for her daughter, but at least it reaffirmed something for both of them. Barry loved his daughter, and he was always going to be there for her. Now all that he had left to do was wait for them to figure out exactly how much Barry loved Iris.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think! Feel free to check me out on tumblr at theoriginalicecreamqueen.


End file.
